Amazing Greece. The amazing country of Greece: attractions, photos and description
The Greeks know a lot about pleasure no worse than the Italians, so when going on vacation, be sure to visit Greece. In order to better understand this country, its people, traditions and customs, it is better to settle in the local environment. To do this, you can rent a small house located in a picturesque area on the sea coast. Only locals can teach you to enjoy food, enjoy local wine, love the salty aroma of the sea and the golden rays of the scorching sun. 
In order to get to know the real Greece as closely as possible, you need to completely and completely immerse yourself in its world, but it is better to start this immersion by getting to know the myths and legends Ancient Greece. After all, it is myths that contain many interesting and fascinating stories about the life of the ancient gods, the origin of Greece itself, its heroes and secrets. Having become acquainted with the Greek epic, you can understand the local residents, their traditions and customs much better.
Greece is a country where history lies right under your feet. Taking a trip along this ancient country be sure to visit its most legendary places - the Corinth Canal, the ancient theater in Epidaurus, the Temple of Apollo, the Parthenon, the Lion Gate, the tomb of Agamemnon and other kings, as well as the ruins of the palace in Mycenae.
Having become acquainted with the history of Greece, you can safely master its cuisine. The warm climate and generous sea gave the Greeks an abundance of fresh herbs, vegetables and seafood. The whole secret of delicious and varied dishes is in the quality of the products. Be sure to try cooking yourself. Greece is famous for its cheeses, olive oil, bread and wine, so be sure to try these products to know what real Greece tastes like.
In life there are both pleasant and joyful moments, and sad ones, when loved ones leave us and go away. You can express your grief and respect by ordering a monument from the best workshops in your city. By submitting an application, you will receive specific offers from workshops and will be able to choose the most suitable option at the best price.
- Modern Greece is just the center ancient Greek civilization, which included southern Italy, the coastal regions of Turkey and the Black Sea, as well as a number of colonies in North Africa, southern France and Spain.
2. Mountains occupy 80% of the territory of Greece, 50% of the territory is covered with forests. Greece includes about 3,000 islands, but only a few hundred of them are inhabited. The largest island of Greece is Crete (8260 km 2).
3. An ancient Greek legend says that when God created the earth, he sifted all the soil through a sieve. After the ground was covered with good soil, he threw the remaining stones in the sieve over his shoulder, and thus Greece was created.
Express information on the country
Greece (Hellenic Republic) – state in Southern Europe.
Capital– Athens
Largest cities: Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras, Larissa
Form of government- Parliamentary republic
Territory– 131,957 km2 (95th in the world)
Population– 10.77 million people. (75th in the world)
Official language– Greek
Religion– Orthodoxy
HDI– 0.865 (29th in the world)
GDP– $235.5 billion (45th in the world)
Currency– euro
Borders with: Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Turkey
4. The ancient Greeks considered the place of residence of the gods to be the most high mountain countries - Olympus (2919 m).
5. Greek has been spoken for over 3,000 years, making it one of the oldest in Europe.
Greek folk dance Sirtaki
6. Many modern names have Greek origin: Alexander (Alexandros => “protector of man”), Andrey (Andreas => “courageous”), Denis (Dionysios => “follower of Dionysius”), Gregory (Gregorios => “vigilant”), Helen (Helen => “light sun"), Ekaterina (Aikaterine => “pure”), Nikolai (Nikolaos => “victory of the people”), Peter (Petros => “stone”), Sophia (Sophia => “knowledge”), Stepan (Stephanos => “crown”), Feodor (Theodoros => “God’s gift”).
7. Greece has the largest number of archaeological museums in the world. This is not surprising, considering rich history and the culture of the country. The most famous of them is new Museum Acropolis Museum, located on a hill below the Parthenon.
8. The Greeks call their country Hellas, Ellada, and its official name is the Hellenic Republic. The name “Greece”, which is what the country is called in the world, comes from the Latin word Graecia, which was used by the Romans and which literally means “land of the Greeks”.
Traditional houses in the Plaka area of Athens
9. Approximately 98% of the population of Greece is ethnic Greek. Most large group The national minorities are Turks. Albanians, Macedonians, Bulgarians, Armenians and Roma also live in the country.
10. The Greek diaspora numbers about 7-8 million people. Main countries of residence: USA, Australia, Ukraine, Russia, UK, Germany. Melbourne, Australia is the city with the largest Greek population outside of Greece.
11. Athens is one of the oldest cities in Europe. The city has been continuously inhabited for over 7,000 years. Athens is the birthplace of democracy, Western philosophy, Olympic Games, political sciences, Western literature, historiography, basic mathematical principles, tragedy and comedy.
12. Greece is strong family values. There are almost no nursing homes in the country; elderly parents live out their lives in their daughters’ homes. Young people usually live with their parents before marriage. Among developed countries, Greece has the lowest percentage of teenagers living in foster care.
13. Greece has one of the lowest cancer mortality rates in Europe.
14. 85% of Greeks own their own home - the highest rate in the EU.
15. Despite the fact that last years, due to economic crisis, the suicide rate in the country has increased sharply, Greece continues to be the country with the most low level suicides in the EU. Malta follows.
16. Since ancient times, shipping has been one of the key industries in Greece. Greek shipowners own more than 3,500 ships various types, which is 25% of the world fleet, and more than 70% of the European one.
Famous ancient galleys
17. Aristotle Onassis (1906-1975) was one of the most famous shipping businessmen in history. During his heyday, Onassis was considered the richest man in the world.
18. Greek law stipulates that 75% of the crew of a Greek ship must be Greek.
19. Hundreds of thousands of birds stop in the marshes of Greece during migration. About 100 thousand birds from Northern Europe and Asia winter in Greece.
20. Greece is the only country in the world in which the number of tourists is twice the local population. More than 20 million people visit Greece every year, while the country's population is just over 11 million. Tourism income accounts for about 20% of the country's GDP.
21. For Greeks, name days are more important holiday than a birthday. Every Orthodox saint has a remembrance day on which people who bear that saint's name receive gifts from friends and family and have large parties with lots of food, wine and dancing.
22. About 7% of all marble produced in the world comes from Greece.
23. In Greece there are more than 250 sunny days(or 3000 sundial) in year.
24. Greece ranks third among the leading olive producers in the world. Some olive trees that were planted in the 13th century still bear fruit.
25. Waving your hand with open palm and spreading your fingers is called moutza and is an insult. If you want to wave to someone in Greece, be sure to do it with your palm closed.
Protesters outside parliament demonstrate moutza
Made an invaluable contribution to European culture. Literature, architecture, philosophy, history, other sciences, state system, laws, art and myths of ancient Greece laid the foundation for modern European civilization. Greek gods known all over the world.
Greece today
Modern Greece little known to most of our compatriots. The country is located at the junction of West and East, connecting Europe, Asia and Africa. The length of the coastline is 15,000 km (including islands)! Our map will help you find a unique corner or island, which I haven’t been to yet. We offer daily feed news. In addition, for many years we have been collecting photo And reviews.Holidays in Greece
Acquaintance with the ancient Greeks in absentia will not only enrich you with the understanding that everything new is well-forgotten old, but will also encourage you to go to the homeland of gods and heroes. Where, behind the ruins of temples and the debris of history, our contemporaries live with the same joys and problems as their distant ancestors thousands of years ago. An unforgettable experience awaits you rest, thanks to the most modern infrastructure surrounded by pristine nature. On the site you will find tours to Greece, resorts And hotels, weather. In addition, here you will learn how and where to register visa and you will find Consulate in your country or greek visa center.Real estate in Greece
The country is open to foreigners wishing to purchase real estate. Any foreigner has the right to this. Only in border areas do non-EU citizens need to obtain a purchase permit. However, searching for legitimate houses, villas, townhouses, apartments, correct design transactions, follow-up service represent not an easy task, which our team has been solving for many years.Russian Greece
Subject immigration remains relevant not only for ethnic Greeks living outside their own historical homeland. The immigrant forum discusses how legal issues, as well as the problems of adaptation in the Greek world and, at the same time, the preservation and popularization of Russian culture. Russian Greece is heterogeneous and unites all immigrants who speak Russian. At the same time, in recent years the country has not met the economic expectations of immigrants from countries former USSR, in connection with which we are seeing a reverse migration of peoples.Blue sea, beautiful beaches, snow-white houses, Mediterranean cuisine, monuments ancient architecture– all this is Greece. It is quite difficult to place sights, photos and descriptions in full in one article. We tried to select the main tourist places that are definitely worth visiting.
Athens has been the capital of Greece since 1833. This ancient city, which has a long history, is located on the shores of the Aegean Sea. It is here that one of the main attractions of the country is located - the Acropolis, which is translated from Greek language means "high city". Tall - because it is located on the flat top of a rocky hill 156 meters high. The Acropolis is a whole complex consisting of many temples, a theater and other buildings.
The central attraction of the Acropolis is the Parthenon - the main temple of ancient Athens, built in 447-438. BC. This structure was made of special Pentelic marble. His distinctive feature is the ability to change color under the influence of the sun's rays. As a result, the northern side of the Parthenon became ash-gray, and the southern side, which was exposed to more intense radiation, became yellowish with a golden tint. Once upon a time there was a huge statue depicting the goddess Athena. Unfortunately, you can no longer see the Parthenon in all its pristine beauty. It was destroyed many centuries ago - in 1687. Currently underway restoration work Athenian Acropolis.
Crete is the first largest among all the Greek islands. Its northern shores are washed by the Cretan Sea, the southern by the Libyan and the western by the Ionian. Many tales and legends are associated with Crete. In particular, this island is considered the birthplace of the main god Greek mythology- Zeus.
Crete is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Greece. About 2.5 million people visit it annually. There are many museums here, the largest of which is the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion. It was founded more than a hundred years ago – in 1883. In the museum you can see many exhibits that belong to the Minoan civilization. These are ceramics and jewelry, frescoes, lithographs and much more. In addition to the historical past, in Heraklion (the capital of the island of Crete) you can also get acquainted with the folk culture of Greece by visiting the historical and ethnographic museum.
In addition to museums, Crete has many historical, cultural and archaeological attractions:
For lovers of sea bathing, it will be interesting to visit one of the most amazing beaches not only of Crete, but throughout Greece - Elafonisi Beach, located on the west coast of the island. He became famous for his unusual sand Pink colour. The sea in these places is very clean and calm.
Another picturesque place on the island is the Samaria Gorge. This is a deep canyon, which is considered a national park in the country. To admire the beauty of pristine nature, tourists walk along the paved trails for about four hours. The path is quite difficult, but it's worth it! Here you can see ancient temples and the ancient city of Samaria, located approximately in the middle of the route.
Rhodes is one of the islands of the Dodecanese archipelago, located in 4th place in area among all the islands of Greece. On the western side it is washed by the Aegean Sea, and on the eastern side by the Mediterranean. The capital bears the same name as the island itself - Rhodes. This city is very popular among tourists. In its center you can wander through the narrow streets admiring the ancient architecture. The main attraction of the capital is the Rhodes Fortress. It was built in the Middle Ages and was used as the main defensive structure of the city. Currently, the fortress is a museum and monument protected by UNESCO.
Just 20 km from the capital is the Petaloudes Valley, which means “valley of the butterflies.” This is a fairly shady and damp place, located between the rocks. It is thanks to the peculiar microclimate that the butterflies listed in the Red Book, the Hera bear, found refuge here. There are hiking trails along the valley. Walking through them, you can admire not only beautiful butterflies, but also by nature itself. This is a very picturesque place where many streams flow down the rocks, forming small lakes and waterfalls. The air in the valley is saturated with an aroma reminiscent of vanilla, which is emitted by storax trees.
Another place on the island of Rhodes where you can spend time enjoying the shady coolness is the 7 Springs Park. This is a place where coniferous trees grow, and in the center of the park 7 streams flow towards each other, forming a small lake with crystal clean water, which you can drink.
48 km southeast of the capital is the small cozy town of Lindos, which is a UNESCO monument. Its streets are so narrow that there is absolutely no traffic here. In this ancient city, tourists can take many wonderful photographs, imbued with the spirit of Greece.
And of course, in Rhodes it is worth visiting one of the largest water parks, which is located just 12 km from the capital.
This unusual crescent-shaped island acquired its final shape as a result of a volcanic eruption that occurred about one and a half thousand years BC. Santorini is located in the Aegean Sea and is part of the Cyclades group of islands. On one side of the island the shores are steep, about 300 meters high, on the other - flat, with unique colored sandy beaches. Near the town of Kamari there is a beach with black sand, and not far from Akrotiri there is a beach with red sand.
A special place in Santorini is occupied by Imerovigli, a small village located just two kilometers from the capital of the island, Fira. Only 470 people live here, but the flow of tourists flocking to admire the beautiful views is always high. This village is built of snow-white stone, and the roofs of the houses are often painted blue and Blue colour. This combination in the background blue sea and high rocks and creates an indescribable beautiful landscape. Imerovigli remains unchanged; new houses cannot be built here, since it has been declared a traditional settlement.
The capital of Santorini is definitely a place worth visiting. small town Fira, with a population of only fifteen hundred people, is located on rocky shores. Its snow-white houses seem to “climb” up the slope and are often located on top of each other. From the windows you can see beautiful views of the caldera - the crater of an extinct volcano filled with the sea. Ancient architectural monuments in Fira are difficult to find - too frequent earthquakes led to great destruction. But in this city you can see beautiful churches, visit Exhibition Center, archaeological museum and museum of prehistoric history.
Speaking about Greece, of course, one cannot fail to mention this famous place like Olympus. This is the highest in the country mountain range. The territory adjacent to it bears the title National Nature Reserve and is under the protection of UNESCO. Thousands of tourists conquer Olympus every year. Almost anyone can do this - hiking trails lead to the top, and along the way there are places where you can rest, eat and even spend the night. At the top of the mountain there is a journal in which you can celebrate this achievement - the ascent to ancient Olympus.
The goal of visiting Olympus is not always to travel to the top. Many tourists travel to the mountains to see attractions such as Dion, the ancient city located at the foot, the monasteries of St. Dionysius and the Holy Trinity. For those who love skiing, Olympus is open from January to March. There are excellent trails here, equipped with modern ski lifts.
This is not all that Greece is so rich in. Sights, photos and descriptions of them can be viewed on numerous websites dedicated to tourism.
More than sixty inhabited islands and an area from the southern coast of the Aegean Sea to the middle Balkan Peninsula– you can wander around Greece for months. From ancient times, the country inherited monuments that are more than four thousand years old, and visiting any of these legendary and mysterious places, even if already studied by scientists or described by enthusiastic amateurs, still promises discovery. winding coastline there are plenty of beaches, and on the islands you can still find places where ships call no more than twice a week. There are also colorful resorts, imbued with the spirit of cosmopolitanism, just like in any other corner of the Mediterranean.
Getting to know Greece
Present-day Greece has developed under the influence of many different factors. Romans, Arabs, Crusaders, Venetians, Slavs, Albanians, Turks, not to mention the Byzantines, they have all been here since the reign of Alexander the Great - and all have sunk into oblivion. But Byzantine Empire left countless churches and monasteries, the Venetians - impregnable fortifications in the Peloponnese, the Latin rulers, the Knights of St. John and the Genoese built impressive fortresses in the north and east of the Aegean Sea.
The influence of four centuries of Ottoman rule is felt in Greek music, language and way of life. And national minorities - Vlachs, Jews, Gypsies - contributed to the formation of Hellenic identity. In Greece there was no nobility who patronized the arts, but in the Middle Ages a viable folk culture. Behind last decades under pressure Western culture much has disappeared, going to museums at best, but now enthusiasts are resurrecting dilapidated buildings, and performers are bringing them back from oblivion folk songs and melodies.
Worth a visit state museums, magnificent medieval mansions and castles, not to mention the ancient monuments of the Neolithic, Bronze Age, Minoan, ancient Greek (classical), Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine eras. Greece hosts excellent summer festivals, in which international theater, dance and musical groups. They are given the opportunity to perform in ancient theaters and medieval castles, as well as on more modern scenes and sites.
However, these cultural events will never overshadow the actual holiday in Greece: sun and warmth, light dresses, willingly discarded for swimming in transparent sea water at sunset, a casual conversation over a glass of wine in the twilight, under a sky in which bright, huge stars shine - all this and much more is very tempting and attracts many tourists. In addition, despite the newfangled trends in the field of tourism, Greece still remains a promised land for tourists who do not pretend to have a luxury holiday.
General information about Greece
1). Greece occupies the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula and is divided into 52 regions (51 nomes plus a special administrative unit). The total area of the country is 131,957 thousand square kilometers, and no other country, with the exception of Indonesia and the Philippines, has such a large share of its territory on islands. The population is overwhelmingly Greek-speaking, religiously 96% consider themselves to be Greek Orthodox, although there are religious minorities - Catholics, Sunni Muslims, Jews and Evangelical Christians, and there are also enclaves in which Turkish-speaking people live compactly, Romance and Macedonian languages. More than half the population lives in cities;
2). The size of the “native” population is estimated at 10.4 million people; the share of immigrants in Greece is considered one of the largest in Greece: officially there are more than 800 thousand of them, but in reality there are no less than 1.5 million. These are mainly Albanians (due to the war in Libya, Iraq and Syria, the above data on immigrants is outdated);
3). In 1974, Greece became a parliamentary republic led by a president and a unicameral parliament of 300 members, with the prime minister wielding the greatest influence. The Social Democratic Party PASOK was in power for 19 years after 1981, until it was overthrown by the center-right party Nea Democracy in March 2004. There are two more small ones communist parties, usually collecting 8-10% of the votes in elections;
4). Main source foreign currency receipts into the country - tourism. Shipbuilding is going through difficult times and has lost its second place agriculture, in particular, the production of olive oil, citrus fruits, wine and raisins.
Where to go in Greece
The capital of Greece is Athens, the city amazing fate, at the same time the oldest and perhaps the youngest capital of Europe. grew into a large modern city, which can offer a wide variety of cultural entertainment, chic shops, excellent restaurants. , this main city north, developed in their own way, fashionable restaurants and night life here they can compete with those of Athens. But there are no other “world class” cities in Greece.
The mainland will give you a meeting with Delphi, the Parthenon, with rich frescoes and mosaics, Byzantine churches and Mystras. You will see powerful fortifications that protected the cities and Methoni, unusual architecture Zagori, Pilion and Mani, long sandy beaches Western and And the most amazing thing on the mainland is the mountains and mountain rivers.
When traveling to the islands of the Aegean and Ionian Seas, it is better to choose one of the islands as a base from which to travel to the others. There are excellent connections between Crete, the Southern Sporades, and the islands in the northern Aegean Sea, in contrast to the islands in the Ionian Sea, the bays east of the Peloponnese and. If time and money are short, get to. In the Cyclades, visit the volcanic and famous for its entertainment. Fertile, stunning with a rocky coastline and cozy, perfect for living by the sea.
Visit for Knossos, the archaeological museum and the Minoan palaces at Phaistos and Agia Triada. Interesting too. became famous for the Old Town. Heading north from there through medieval architecture, you will find yourself in a place where the traditional way of life has been preserved. - a territory of integrated tourism, but it is worth getting acquainted with the Venetian architecture of the capital of Corfu, preserved after the devastating earthquake of 1953.
When to go to Greece
The period from early July to late August is considered high season, although warm weather stands in June or September, but not on the northern coast of the mainland, and. In October you will probably be caught in a storm, but it is not for nothing that this month is called the summer of St. Demetrius: the storm subsides and the sun shines, especially well in Crete and. From December to March it is cold, but there are many clear days, and flowers bloom in the valleys in early spring. But further north and higher into the mountains it is colder and rainier, the peaks are covered with snow from November to May.
Winters are milder in the southeast of Crete. April is fickle, but everything is in bloom. May in Crete, Peloponnese, Ionian Islands and Cyclades – best time, although the water in the sea is rather cold. Service deteriorates during the high season, housing prices rise, especially from July to September and during the Easter and Christmas weeks. From the end of October to the end of April there are fewer ferries and flights, but all main routes are served, and in the port of any island there will be at least one operating inn and tavern.
- Greeks as the indigenous people of the country
When trying to understand the Greeks, one must take into account that even in the first decades of the 20th century, many parts of Greece remained under the rule of Turkish or Italian invaders, and many Orthodox Greeks lived in Asia Minor Western Europe and in the north of the Balkan Peninsula. The Balkan Wars of 1912-1913, the country's participation in the First World War in 1917-1918, the Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1920 and population exchanges were all very painful, and old wounds still hurt.
But the worst was yet to come: the Second World War, and before it Civil War. This dark period was followed by almost seven years of rule by a junta of black colonels from 1967-1974. Since Greece's inclusion in the Western economy in the early 1990s, life has changed, although many habits die slowly. Customs and rules of etiquette are also gradually changing. Young Greeks adapt quite easily, but visitors should behave carefully, especially with older people.
It is difficult to imagine what older people in black clothes must think when watching nudists or seeing foreigners in clothes that barely cover their nudity. Moreover, although authority Orthodox Church V Lately fell due to a series high-profile scandals corruption, to this day even the most enlightened and secular-minded young Greeks get married, baptize children and perform funeral services for the deceased in compliance with all due Orthodox rites.
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